MEET TRACEY THE DOG WALKER
Tracey Zysk, 38, of North Andover has owned her own pet care business, Wiggles & Jiggles Pet Care of North Andover, for the past seven years, where she offers everything from canine massage and Reiki energy healing to pet-sitting and dog walking. She is concerned about health care.
Zysk said: "Being self-employed, I pay over $400 a month for my health care premium. What would each candidate do to help make insurance affordable for the self-employed/sole proprietor? Tax breaks are not helping to offset the premium increases."
THE ANSWER
Both candidates offer detailed health care policy plans on their Web sites and have spoken extensively on the issue in speeches and debates. Here are some of the key points:
Obama — Will ensure that small businesses and those who are self-employed have affordable health care. Will give individuals the choice of buying affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to federal employees and members of Congress or a private health insurance plan through an insurance marketplace known as the Health Insurance Exchange. There would be guaranteed eligibility. Require employers to either offer health insurance to employees or pay a tax that would help uninsured get coverage. Provide subsidies for low-income Americans to help them afford coverage. Require all children to have health insurance.
McCain — Eliminate current tax exclusion for employer-paid health insurance. Provide refundable tax credits of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families for everyone who obtains private health insurance — employed or not. If insurance costs less than the value of the credit, the remaining funds could be deposited in a health savings account. Provide a variety of insurance choices, national and across state lines, that would not be dependent on a job. Work with state governors to increase insurance pools for people uninsurable on the individual market. Deregulate insurance markets, allowing insurers to sell across state lines. People could buy less costly, less comprehensive policies in states with fewer mandates. Pass medical malpractice reform.
